CCHS
Chapter 54: Fashionably Late

Fifteen minutes later, the "refreshment table" was set up in the seldom-used dining room, the center-piece being a bucket of ice, with cans of soda artfully arranged to the left of the ice and bottled water lined up along the right. Magnus managed to make a stack of napkins look like the petals of a flower, and after perusing the refrigerator and the walk-in pantry, he had scrounged what he could that looked like edible party food.

Of course, he was quietly disappointed – if anyone but Jace had been in charge of this affair, it would have been better planned. Simply nviting people to meet at a set time and place did not a party make. It's not like his family lacked the funds to throw a proper party. And what did dressing up Jace's girlfriend have anything to do with Alec? Was that for his benefit? Giving Jace a pretty new toy to stare at for the balance of the evening?

If that was the case, and if it worked, then perhaps Isabelle Lightwood wasn't as vapid as she seemed. Otherwise, she had merely wasted twenty minutes on a side-project with no point, when she could have been making music selections or working on rearranging the furniture so it looked less like a home owned by people in their fifties and more teenager friendly. Magnus would have voted for moving the glass table out altogether. They needed room to move, maybe one couch to drape across. Otherwise, open space was good. The huge flat screen TV could stay.

"Is someone going to cut him off?" Alec asked, tugging on Magnus's arm when he came back in the room. It reminded him of something a small child would do to its mother. That wasn't the role he was going for, and so Magnus made a point of sliding his hand down and linking his fingers with Alec's. He could tell Alec was struggling with the idea of pulling away, but he didn't. Alec just bit his lip, looking concerned.

"What, Jace?"

"He's drinking another beer."

"I'm sorry. But you're my focus tonight. Someone else will have to babysit your brother."

"That's usually my job."

"Not tonight," Magnus insisted, kissing Alec's hand.

"Get out of the fridge," Isabelle snapped from the kitchen, followed by the sound of the slap. Jace was muttering something crude in response.

Clary was sitting awkwardly on the white couch, looking like a displaced wallflower, like she'd woken up in the wrong place, incidentally wearing somebody else's clothes. Fortunately, she had her awkward friend to make conversation with. Magnus afforded them a bored glance, before returning his attention back to Alec.

"Get you anything to drink?"

"Diet whatever we have."

"You know artificial sweetener is bad for you."

"I like the taste."

"No one likes the taste. They just get used to it, after choking it down enough times."

Alec shrugged. "Then you pick. I am thirsty."

"Be right back," Magnus promised, bussing his cheek before returning to the dining room.

The door bell rang again. With no one designated to man the door - and everyone else busy, Alec got up and went to answer it, flipping the latch and opening the door.

"Trevor. What's up?"

"Happy Birthday, man," Trevor greeted, clapping Alec on the shoulder before heading inside. Michael, behind him, offered up a smile and passed Alec an envelope. It felt like a birthday card. Alec muttered his thanks, in the act of closing the door behind his teammates, when a hand smacked against it, holding the door open.

"I know I'm late, but I'm still allowed inside, right?"

Sebastian. Alec's eyes went a little wider. He glanced over his shoulder, worried about how Jace would react if he knew Sebastian was here. But he also realized how rude it looked, almost shutting the door on the kid and not saying anything to apologize.

"It's cool. Sorry. Come in," Alec invited, shifting his weight from one foot to the other and easing back against the wall.

Sebastian smiled politely, moving inside. "Happy Birthday, Alexander."

It felt like a jab, using his full name - but like most things Sebastian said, Alec really wasn't sure if he was mocking or just being quirky-formal.

"Uhh, thanks."

"So you're eighteen now? You know what that means?"

"I'm old."

"You're legal. Congratulations."

"Thanks."

"So, how does it feel?"

"Not so different from seventeen. My knee aches."

"Early onset arthritis, I'm sure. You probably ought to look into that," Sebastian said with a snicker.

"Yeah," Alec replied, making a face as Sebastian walked ahead of him, his hands casually dipping into the pockets of his khaki pants. Along with his neatly pressed polo, it looked like he was dressed for church. Everyone else was pretty casually dressed. Except for Clary. And Isabelle, not that that was dressed up for Izzy. And Magnus's hair was pretty festive.

Sebastian had already exchanged masculine nods with Magnus. Then he headed over to Simon. They were doing the handshake and stare thing, sizing each other up.

"So you go to CCHS?" Simon asked, withdrawing his hand, and flexing his fingers. Lookedlike Sebastian won the hand-squeezing contest.

"That I do."

"And you have class with Clary." Simon looked kind of hostile as he said it, easing slightly in front of where Clary was sitting.

"I haven't had that pleasure. But we have met."

"He helped me with my locker," Clary spoke up, trying to look around Simon. She looked annoyed.

"I hate the lockers," Alec lamented, although Magnus glanced over at him with a pointed smile. After all, that's where they had their ground-breaking tete-a-tete, over a particularly stubborn lock. His first rescue attempt.

"Bane of every students' existence," Sebastian agreed with a bland smile, not looking at Simon, but lowering his eyes to where Clary sat. It looked like he might be panning up her legs. Simon scowled.

"Morgenstern. I don't remember inviting you," Jace said, standing in the doorway, eying Sebastian with anger. Unveiled hostility. Sebastian's smile didn't slip. He nodded in greeting to Jace.

"Pleasure to see you as well, Herondale. In your natural environment."

Jace growled something under his breath. It sounded like 'don't touch the furniture.' Then he was turning his back on the company and walking back into the kitchen. Flustered, Clary got up and followed him.

"Well. I see no love lost between you," Simon felt the need to comment, not sure if he liked the new kid either. A lot of that had to do with the way he'd been eying Clary. But he also got an uncomfortable vibe around him.

"We're competitors on and off the field. It's only natural," Sebastian replied, running his fingers back through his hair. He exuded understated self-confidence. Simon was totes jealous. Plus, what happened to the old stereotypes, about jocks having half a brain? At least then he might have the looks and the athletic stamina, but Simon could beat him at Scrabble. Sebastian didn't look like he was used to being second best at anything. He was probably awesome at Scrabble too.

Still, he wondered how he'd measure up with a PS3 controller in his hands. He'd checked the entertainment system out on his way in. Simon noticed at least a PS3 and a Wii console, ready to go.

Trevor and Michael were talking to Jace in the kitchen, hopefully diffusing his anger. Isabelle returned to turn on the music, but she looked tense. She didn't turn around or speak to anyone in the room. Watching her, Simon couldn't help noticing the hint of black cotton beneath the too-short edge of her dress and he quickly looked away, nervously adjusting his glasses.

Alec took a sip from the cup. Ugh. Ginger ale. He looked over at Magnus, lips pursed.

"No?" Magnus asked. "Here, have mine."

Magnus switched cups, offering up what looked like dark soda. Alec took a sip. It wasn't a diet, but anything was better than ginger ale. "Thanks."

Magnus winked over the rim of his glass, taking a sip from the same side of the glass Alec had drunk from. Why did that feel so dirty?

The doorbell rang again. This time Magnus went to answer it, asking Alec to hold his drink for him.

There were feminine voices in the entry way. Aline and her cell-phone-wielding friends walked into the room, obviously scanning the room for any sight of Jace. In his absence, Aline seemed to decide Sebastian was the only safe alternative. It was better than trying to force a conversation with Alec, having to look at the freak with sparkling hair or acknowledge four-eyes. Her groupies followed suit, one on each side.

"How long have you been here?"

"Just arrived," Sebastian replied, his practiced smile back in use.

"This is lame," Aline decided, not even five minutes after arriving.

"I'm taking one for the team."

"I thought there was going to be a keg."

"Beer's in the fridge. I think it's self-serve. Isn't that right, Jace?" Sebastian called out with a sneer.

There was a muffled 'screw you', followed by the refrigerator door slamming. Clary's soft voice was speaking to Jace, trying to calm him.

Alec lifted the cup to his mouth again, then sputtered when it splashed against his nose and mouth. Isabelle had jerked his arm.

"What the hell?"

"I need to talk to you."

"What is it?"

"Not here," Isabelle hissed, tugging on his arm again. This time Alec passed his drink off on Magnus, exchanging brief glances with his boyfriend before he was being dragged into the hallway by his sister.

"He needs to go."

"Who?"

"Sebastian!" she snapped, hand digging into her hip.

"You didn't invite him?"

"Of course I didn't invite him!"

"Then who did? Obviously not Jace."

"No one wants him here. I made Jace promise he wouldn't be here!" Her voice quivered. She looked really upset about it.

"I'm sorry, Izz. I didn't know he was coming. But I don't know how to send him away without being really rude..."

"Get Jace to do it."

"It'll be more trouble than it's worth," Alec pointed out, predicting a fight if that happened. "Can't you just, I don't know, ignore him?"

"I shouldn't have to."

"What do you have against him, anyway?"

"He's an asshole!" Isabelle hissed, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away, face warm. "Please, Alec," she added in a small voice.

"I'll keep him away from you, OK? I'm sorry he came."

"Me too."

"No parties, next year. Easiest away to avoid a scene like this," Alec pointed out, with a small attempt at a smile.

It had the intended response. Isabelle rolled her eyes, then walked ahead of him back into the room.


Thank you to everyone reading and reviewing! You are absolutely awesome. I usually reply to everyone, but I'm about to crash for the night and I want to get this out first.

Happy New Year!